ABUGames.com Guide to determine what edition a Magic the Gathering card is from.

If you would like to know how to tell what set a particular Magic card is from, this web page will show you. Also, this page will answer the age old question - "How do I tell the difference between Revised / 3rd Edition and Unlimited?"

(click on the card pictures below for a larger image)

Most Magic the Gathering cards have a unique expansion symbol on the right side in about the middle of the card. Each of these symbols represents a certain set (Sets are also referred to as Editions or Releases). The on the card below denotes that this card is from the Champions of Kamigawa set.

The early Base / Core Sets did not have expansion symbols and are more difficult to determine which set they are from.

Archenemy
(copyright 1993-2010)
- Black bordered
- Reprinted cards with a new expansion symbol
- Special Scheme Cards are also included in the Archenemy set, and include the same Archenemy expansion symbol

Chronicles
(copyright 1995)
- White bordered
- All cards are reprints from Arabian Nights, Antiquites, Legends and the Dark
- Each card has its original expansion symbols

no
foil

Coldsnap Theme Deck Reprints
(copyright 1993-2006)
- Black bordered
- All cards are reprints from Ice Age and Alliances
- Each card has a similar expansion symbol to the original, but the symbols are somewhat updated and more modern - looking
- Not a typical individual set; found in the Coldsnap Theme Decks

Promo cards are usually special versions of existing cards. They often have "DCI" in place of an expansion symbol. ABU usually has every promo listed with pictures in the promo section. If you are not sure if a card is a promo, check the Promo section.